Court Sets January 15 For Explosive Terror Trial Of Alleged Ansaru Commanders

According to Ireporter Online, the Federal High Court in Abuja has set January 15, 2026, as the new date for the commencement of the terrorism trial of two alleged commanders of the Ansaru extremist network, Mahmud Usman and Abubakar Abba.

The proceedings, earlier scheduled to begin on Wednesday, were postponed after the defence counsel, B. I. Bakum, informed the court that he had not received the charges or accompanying evidence reportedly held by the Department of State Services (DSS), where the defendants remain in custody. He further urged the court to order their transfer to a correctional facility, arguing that their continued detention at the DSS office restricts legal access and hinders proper preparation for trial.

However, counsel for the DSS, David Kaswe, an Assistant Director at the Federal Ministry of Justice, opposed the request and maintained that the trial should proceed because prosecution witnesses were already present. Kaswe explained that the DSS operates a formal protocol that requires written applications before defence lawyers can visit detainees, adding that Bakum had not yet complied with this requirement. He asked the court to direct the defence team to follow established procedures and ensure the prosecution is copied on all communications.

In a short ruling, Justice Emeka Nwite held that fairness demands adequate access to clients and sufficient time for the defence to study all materials before trial. The judge therefore shifted the trial’s commencement to January 15, 2026, and ordered the defence to submit a formal access request to the DSS while ensuring the prosecution receives all copies of correspondence.

Usman and Abba are currently facing a 32-count charge involving terrorism, financing of terrorism, kidnapping, weapons production, illegal mining, and alleged ties to international terror groups. Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a, admitted guilt to one count relating to illegal mining but denied 31 others, while Abba pleaded not guilty to all accusations. Usman had earlier been sentenced in September to 15 years’ imprisonment for illegal mining and using the proceeds to support violent activities.

According to investigative findings presented in court, the defendants allegedly carried out multiple offences between 2015 and 2024, including the bombing of the Wawa Military Cantonment in Niger State, receiving weapons training in Sudan and Mali, manufacturing improvised explosive devices, kidnapping security personnel, funding terrorism through illegal mining, and training Ansaru fighters. Millions of naira allegedly generated from illegal mining were reportedly used to purchase arms, ammunition, and IED components. The duo were apprehended in intelligence-led operations between May and July 2025.

Ansaru, a breakaway faction of Boko Haram, has been associated with several high-profile attacks, including ambushes on military bases and kidnappings of foreign nationals.